The invention relates to power monitoring systems and more particularly to a system for monitoring and controlling an oil well pumping unit, by measuring the actual and demand power consumption.
The monitoring of the amount of electrical power consumed by an oil well pumping unit provides a useful method of determining how well the system is operating. Providing accurate power consumption information of an oil well to service personnel will not only allow them to more quickly determine when a problem has occurred, but it may also provide invaluable insight into a trend which may indicate the occurrence of an impending problem or the need for immediate servicing of the well. Additionally, close monitoring of power usage prevents excessive power consumption, since such a condition would quickly be detected and the problem corrected.
Many factors affect power consumption of an oil well pumping unit. One such factor which adversely affects power consumption is a buildup of paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is a translucent, odorless solid consisting of a mixture of high molecular weight hydrocarbons, and is present in a large number of oil fields in the United States and other countries. Although it is a useful byproduct of oil recovery, and is used for such purposes as water proofing paper cartons, and is utilized in producing drugs and candles, etc., it also tends to interfere with the natural lubricating properties of oil. Correspondingly, an excess buildup of paraffin within a producing oil well tends to impede the pumping process, and causes the pumping motor to work harder than normal and therefore causing it to consume an excessive amount of electrical power. Additionally, this added stress may cause one or more portions of the pumping mechanism to fail or break.
Oil producing wells are often located in extremely remote areas and are widely spaced from each other. Correspondingly, oil well service personnel are rarely on hand to witness a malfunction or change in the operating parameters until long after it has occurred. This may result in excessive power consumption until the problem is detected, or even worse, may result in serious damage to the electric pump motor and the pumping unit. Additionally, oil well service personnel often must rely on experience with adjacent wells or an actual failure of a well pump in order to determine when servicing is required or a malfunction has occurred.
In addition to monitoring power consumption, the present invention is configured to be readily connected to the computer controlled demand limit control system of a power company. Such systems, which are still in the experimental stages in most parts of the country, allow a power company to more accurately control the total load on its power network.